Effect of Additive Treatment on Meat Quality

Major components of meat quality are physico-chemical properties (including visual appearance and tenderness) and dietetic properties (i.e. fat content and fatty acid composition) (Razminowicz et al., 2004). Physico-chemical and technological properties of meat are influenced by feeding system, feeds quality and various feeds additives (Brzoska et al., 1999). The aim of the present study was compare the influence of untreated, inoculated and chemically-treated legume-grass silage on carcass composition and physico-chemical properties of meat when fed to fattening bulls

The Effects of Microbial Inoculation on Short-to-Long Fermentation and Aerobic Stability of Grass-Legume Silage Ensiled in Big Bales

Wilted (35.9 % DM and 2.6% WSC) moderately difficult to ensile grass-legume mixture (red clover, alfalfa and timothy 50:20:30) was ensiled in cylindrical big bales (1.2 m hight and 1.2 m diameter) with a weight about 700 kg. The crop was ensiled for 8, 32 and 120 days with or without a microbial inoculation (SiloSolve® FC containing Lactococcus lactis DSM 11037/1k2081 and Lactobacillus buchneri DSM 22501/1k20738 applied at 1.5×105 CFU g-1 forage). Ten bales per treatment were prepared for each fermentation period. After each period of ensiling the big bales were opened, sampled, and tested for fermentation parameters, yeast and mould counts and aerobic stability. Weight loss during fermentation and aerobic exposure were recorded and DM losses were calculated. After 8 days of fermentation, the addition of SiloSolve® FC showed only significant positive effects on pH, acetic and butyric acid, while after 32 and 120 days of fermentation periods, significant improvements of adding SiloSolve® FC were observed across all parameters investigated. The results show that SiloSolve® FC is an effective treatment to reduce ammonia, ethanol, and butyric acid production, to control yeast and mould growth, and to improve acetic acid levels with a resulting improved aerobic stability of grass-legume mixture fermented in big bales. Total lactic acid bacteria increased significantly and an appreciable decrease number of yeasts were detected in the inoculated silage at all fermentation time points and after aerobic exposure if compared with untreated silage. Reduction in yeast and mould population during anaerobic phase of silage fermentation and during silage aerobic exposure period appears to be the main reason for the improvement aerobic stability of the inoculated silage. Improved fermentation, reduced DM loss during fermentation and during aerobic exposure periods lead to increase nutritive value of the inoculated silage

Microbiological assessment of four probiotic feed supplements used by the dairy industry in New Zealand

Since Metchnikoff’s publication ‘‘The Prolongation of Life’’ (Metchnikoff 1908) proposed the use of live bacteria to improve health, a precise definition of probiotics has yet to be formulated, however a widely held definition is ‘‘live microorganisms which, when administered in adequate amounts, confer a health benefit on the host’’ (FAO/WHO 2002). However, an on-going challenge with using probiotics is maintaining their viability while they are stored and sold. This challenge is compounded when probiotics are used in agriculture as feed supplements, since it may not be economical to use freeze drying or refrigeration to maintain the viability of microbes in a product. We analysed four agricultural probiotic feed supplements used by the New Zealand dairy industry, to estimate the number of live probiotic microbes in each product using a combination of culture techniques, particle size analysis and live/dead staining